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A review by mariakureads
The Longest Way Home: One Man's Quest for the Courage to Settle Down by Andrew McCarthy
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
I wasn't aware of Andrew McCarthy as anything but an actor so it was surprising to know he wrote "Brat", another book I have on hold, but even more to see he had written more books, and a travel writer for National Geographic of all things, so I wasn't sure what to expect.
This book was smart, personal, inquiring, and a reflection of him, the person, not the actor although he briefly does talk about it. I feel that through writing, he's able to drop that persona, and be the almost seemingly awkward man who's finding his footing in life. The book title is apt as every chapter puts miles between him and his life, his family, his persona of brat fame, and forces him to accept the unexpected, the nature of travel, the moments of serendipitous fortune that can occur without realization and in doing so maybe find a way to use it for his gain in life.
I went in thinking this might be a straight memoir and was pleasantly surprised that it started that way before getting travel stories, reflection, smart introspection, and a lot of honesty of himself interwoven in a way that feels inherently his. I'm tempted to go and read some of his travel pieces but even I know I will find them to be rich in detail, colorful, and atmospheric in nature.
This book was smart, personal, inquiring, and a reflection of him, the person, not the actor although he briefly does talk about it. I feel that through writing, he's able to drop that persona, and be the almost seemingly awkward man who's finding his footing in life. The book title is apt as every chapter puts miles between him and his life, his family, his persona of brat fame, and forces him to accept the unexpected, the nature of travel, the moments of serendipitous fortune that can occur without realization and in doing so maybe find a way to use it for his gain in life.
I went in thinking this might be a straight memoir and was pleasantly surprised that it started that way before getting travel stories, reflection, smart introspection, and a lot of honesty of himself interwoven in a way that feels inherently his. I'm tempted to go and read some of his travel pieces but even I know I will find them to be rich in detail, colorful, and atmospheric in nature.